Death's bride

"What are you...?" Gwyneth staggered away, shocked by those words that reverberated with intense gravity. She met those glowing blood red eyes, which oozed insanity. He was Death himself. All it would take was a flick of his finger to burn the world.

She looked away from him. "On the night of my birth, Gerald informed me that you had declared me to be yours."

"At night?" Sirius asked, raising his brow. "My dear, you were born in the daytime. The sun burned so much. So heavy."

Gwyneth grimaced. "That is not the point."

A little taken aback by her serious manner, Sirius pursed his lips. She was always taking things so seriously. Killjoy. He was beaming brightly. "I did that to protect you."

"You killed half of Descaera's population just to protect me?" Gwyneth asked, staring at him in disbelief.

"Your uncle interpreted my actions to your family, which is why they are afraid to hurt you no matter how much they dislike you."

Gwyneth calmed down as he explained the obvious. Ever since the incident at the ball, she had figured everything out.

Realization flickered through her eyes as she swallowed. "Uncle interpreted? What do you mean by that?"

Sirius's smile increased. He looked like he was about to tell a happy tale which piqued Gwyneth's attention. "Your dear uncle sold his soul to me. He is my slave."

Gwyneth's face paled. "What?"

Sirius cocked his head. "You see... I prepared everything for this life of yours. Your protection is my number one priority and I will do whatever it takes to protect you."

Gwyneth parted her lips in disbelief. "Pro...."

"Humans are merely insects. They are not the threat I'm protecting you from." Sirius slashed in, his tone clipped, his expression suddenly stern.

Gwyneth shook her head. She wasn't prepared for any of this, she didn't want to listen anymore, she just wanted her uncle. "Why did you lie to me?"

"I didn't."

"Then give him back to me." Gwyneth snarled at him, sending him a furious glare.

Sirius focused his gaze on her. He took in every emotion that was drastically evident in her being. Fear, denial, disbelief.

Telling her small details was a decision he had made ever since Kieran told him that he was to return to the front lines.

"No." He turned his back on her.

"Bring him back to me to protect me!" Gwyneth screamed.

"His role is over. It was stated in the contract we made."

"Contract?" Gwyneth asked, highly flabbergasted.

Sirius looked at her over his shoulder, a faint smile on his lips. "A deal with death is more dangerous than making deals with demons, darling."

"And with the devil?" Gwyneth asked, her eyes darkening.

Sirius's lips twitched at that question. "He doesn't come close."

"I do not want your protection. Not from humans or monsters. This life is mine and I intend to live as I please." Gwyneth suddenly said, standing firm on her words.

Sirius loved that confident expression of hers. Still, he turned his head away, his eyes hardening at those words that spilled from her pretty mouth.

She was truly innocent. She didn't deserve any of this. But she had no choice. It was a fate she had chosen. Fate with him.

"Rejecting my desire to protect you only stokes the flames. You are my woman, it is only natural for me to want to protect you."

Gwyneth scoffed at those words. "I am not yours."

Sirius smiled, turning to her. "Oh darling, you are."

Gwyneth glared at him. She hated him. She also hated the fact that she was actually getting goosebumps from every word that spilled out of his mouth. Each word he spoke was imbued with a fervent passion that danced with possession.

"So I can't find my uncle? What exactly have you done to him?" She asked him, trying to avoid the ownership conversation.

Sirius pursed his lips. "I will not tell you."

Gwyneth clenched her fists. "Why?! I am sure he's not in your hands! Brother would have..."

"Your brother would have not done anything." Sirius cut in sharply.

Gwyneth's eyes widened. "You don't know anything!"

"The one person who can protect Death's bride, a being who can give him ultimate power has vanished. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

Gwyneth gasped.

Sirius moved closer to her, cocking his head. "You like that title don't you? Death's bride."

Gwyneth frowned. "What happened to Gerald?"

"You will find out yourself." Sirius whispered, clasping her chin gently. She glared at him with a defiant look in her eyes, making him excited. "However, I will leave you face and know your enemies."

Gwyneth's eyes dilated. "Enemies?" Instantly, her memories of those who had killed her in her past life appeared in her head.

Her gaze became hollow, as if all life had been drained from her eyes, yet her lids overflowed with glistening tears. "But you are the one creating those enemies for me. You are the one ruining my life."

Sirius bit the tip of his tongue. "Yes and no."

Gwyneth's eyes flared. "Screw you!" She swatted away his hand, but Sirius was quick to seize her wrists, pulling her roughly against his body and slamming her back into the wall with a force that caused her to cough violently.

Sirius's large frame covered hers, his face crouched before hers, his eyes whirling like a blood storm. "All these enemies of yours are natural. They have been existing since the time your mother held you in her womb. However, I am a large cause..."

"You wiped out half of the population, increasing the animosity. They may have all prepared to hate me because I was going to be the princess of a great kingdom but you are the one putting me in danger. You..."

"Danger?" Sirius asked, his eyes piercing dangerously into hers.

She held her breath, clamping her lips shut.

"My dearest, you must understand that danger is in my very nature. To embrace me is to invite peril."

Gwyneth quivered. "You are insane." She turned her head away trying to hide her fear.

Sirius smiled, taking a step away from her with his hands in his pocket. "I'll leave you now." Then he grabbed her hand and they appeared back outside Lord Evans room.

As soon as his grip loosened, Gwyneth yanked her hand away and bursted into the room only to have her eyes covered by his hand.

A deep chill coursed through her veins. And she instantly stiffened.

"Don't resist." She heard Sirius say, his voice cold as ice.

"W.. why?" She asked, resisting the urge to struggle from him.

"Because there are bodies."